


Starlight

by lferion



Category: American Idol RPF, Glam Rock RPF, Merro Tree - Waitman, Torchwood
Genre: Aliens, Challenge Response, Crossover, Gen, Glitter, Little Black Dress, M/M, Music, Music Playlist, Other, multiple POVs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-17
Updated: 2010-04-17
Packaged: 2017-10-09 00:18:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/80971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lferion/pseuds/lferion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even other glittery aliens are attracted to Adam</p>
            </blockquote>





	Starlight

**Author's Note:**

> This story assumes that the end of Season 2, and all of Season 3 of Torchwood  have not occurred (yet, or possibly ever :-)). Xi is inspired by Yii the short-lived Qo singer-performer in Katie Waitman's The Merro Tree, and it is from her that I took the idea of music and performance art as activity that spans not just terrestrial cultures but the stars. Zie is a pronoun that refers to a being's person-ness, not gender, and I don't recall where I first encountered it.
> 
> My thanks to JBlum, Morgynleri, JGTAnthony and Auberus for encouragement and hand-holding, and particularly to Scribblinlenore for patience well above and beyond.

The aether was full of music, of song, of life that danced in luminous and myriad forms. Xi dreamed of sharing zis songs, of tasting the rich complexities of a Performance Master's outpouring of art and energy, of joining zis voice with other dreamers, other makers of light and beauty and meaning from other corners of the wide universe. When the telewave brought the strains of something new, the echoes of transmissions from the little blue-green planet around the little yellow sun in Mutter's Spiral (watched but as yet unapproached by the galactic powers – the inhabitants' mechanical spacecraft had hardly yet reached the edges of their own system, and their motive appendages had not extended past the orbit of the planet's singular and airless satellite, though their voices and images had flown far and high and wide) Xi felt an instant connection. When the chronon-wave vortex twisted through zis home system, zie lept unhesitating into the stream, following the song, the glittering promise of starlight, the voice that sang of fire and wonder and sheer delight.

* * *

The necklace sparkled. A mote of light danced in the depths of the crystal and wirework filigree, glimmering and flashing. No one at the radio station knew who had put it in with the other fan-gifts, and it didn't have a card. It was obviously an art-piece, hand-made, and apparently, made for him. (Adam was still astonished at the outpouring of love manifested in creative endeavor by the fans, and not a little humbled by the skill and energy he apparently inspired them to exercise. His fans were awesome, and he would never not be grateful to them, even when he wished one or two of them would back off, just a little.)

Not only did it sparkle, but it wanted to come on stage with him. Adam did not question how he knew that – that kind of intuitive understanding was far less outre than some of the other aspects of his life right now – but did put serious consideration into how it would go with the outfit he had been planning. It would add a focus to the collar-piece he'd worn at Indio if he wanted to go super shiny, or by itself if he decided to be a little more subtle. But whatever he decided in the dressing room that evening, it was definitely getting worn.

He'd even thought a moment about putting it on immediately, but it really _didn't_ go with what he was currently wearing. On the other hand, he had a pocket, and there was a handy little embroidered gauze bag that had been another gift. Into his pocket it went, warm and eager. It almost seemed to fizz, tingling against his fingertips, alive with energy.

The appearance in Cardiff may have been arranged at the very last minute, but that didn't mean it wasn't going to be an awesome show.

* * *

"Jack?"

Jack looked up from the report he was trying not to write. (Torchwood One was trying to impose their own brand of order on the whole organization again. It wasn't going to work.) Toshiko's voice held puzzlement, not alarm, but Jack was happy for any excuse. "Tell me you have something interesting for me."

A smile twinkled in the corner of Tosh's mouth. "I don't know, actually. There was a blip on one of the wave-form sensors, and when I tracked it, it seems to be having an effect on the CCTV system – some kind of not-quite static."

Jack left his report with relief, and went over to hover at her shoulder. "Is it an entity?"

"It might be just an emission, alien or human. But I've never seen it before, and it hasn't faded yet. There seems to be a pattern developing, one that isn't in the catalogue." Tosh pointed at a series of displays on her array of monitors. "If it is an entity, it's tinkerbell-class, but that's really all I do know. I can't even tell if it came through the rift or arrived co-incidentally with a recent spike and we are just now seeing it."

Jack looked at the lines and symbols and little glowing dots on the monitors. "That's Red Dragon FM, isn't it?" What an alien will-o-the-wisp might want with a radio station Jack had no idea, but he was more than willing to go and find out. "Grab the trace-detector – let's go take a look. Owen and Gwen can hold the fort this time."

"Yes, sir!" Tosh was ready in a trice, several different detectors tucked into her satchel, as well as a couple of things even Jack didn't recognize. He was happily reminded of why he'd recruited her in the first place.

They took the elevator up to the Plaza, emerging into the unexpectedly beautiful April sunshine. This was ever so much better than writing reports.

* * *

The warmth of the necklace in his pocket seemed to make the whole day even brighter than the spring weather. There was a shimmer to the air, and Adam almost had to stop himself from humming and singing just for the sheer joy of it. He'd learned on the Idol's tour that he really did need to save his voice on concert days, so he channeled the extra energy into the round of interviews with his smile and hands and the bounce in his step. The radio and television people hardly knew what hit them, but it was all good. Even the endless questions felt – and many of them were, surprisingly enough – new, and Adam found himself with new and different things to answer among the standard queries and comments. There were fans at each stop, too, lit up with smiles and obviously happy to just be present - calling out and taking pictures when he couldn't stop for anything more, variously tongue-tied or enthusiastic (and sometimes both) when there was more time for hugs and autographs.

Adam could hardly wait for the concert itself, the stage and the lights, the band and the audience, the absolute turn on of pouring forth the music, the words and notes freighted with delight, desire, meaning and energy. There was nothing in the world like the interaction of playing for a crowd of people, giving and taking, creating wonder. It was as if the light in him needed to shine out, rhinestones and glitter and shimmering notes alike.

* * *

The Red Dragon was sleeping when Jack and Tosh got there, the spark of alien light flitting on, leading them on a winding trek through the entertainment and media industry of Wales as centered in Cardiff. They encountered any number of smiling people, knots and flurries of excited fans – women and men of every age and occupation, happy and energized and talking about someone named Adam (or possibly Lambert, or Glambert, or the HBIC) and how fabulous the concert was going to be. But they never managed to see the man himself, or catch more than the elusive trace of the alien energy. By the end of the afternoon they were back where they started, in the Millenium plaza, only a little wiser than they had started out, but nevertheless in surprisingly good spirits.

Tosh had put her palmtop with the satellite connection to good use, and several YouTube videos, pic-spams and websites later, Jack was fairly sure that Adam was as human as he appeared to be, a small, glittery energy-entity would be right at home in amongst Adam's usual accessories and fashion choices, and Jack himself would be very much at home in those exquisitely well-fitting pants. Tosh had been tactfully not-noticing the evidence in Jack's own snugly tailored nether garments.

At any rate, they were not going to be able to get close to the man or the entity/artifact without an actual plan. Adam's security was top notch – Jack certainly did not want to tangle with either the very large and obvious gentleman, or the sharp-eyed and unobtrusively, inevitably Present gentleman who moved like a Swordsman. They were going to have to get into the concert, preferably backstage. Fortunately, Millennium Hall was familiar ground, and Jack still had a supply of psychic paper.

* * *

The concert was a dance of light as well as sound – coherent and diffuse, precise and atmospheric, engaging every sense and embracing the entire spectrum of vibration. Color, heat, sub- and super-sonics, notes short and sustained, bent and piercing-pure, beats and wails and waves that swept through every sensory aperture and captured every emotive core. Xi was entranced, overwhelmed, taking it all in and glorying in the texture and wonder and intensity of it all. Xi's own song was immeasurably enriched by the experience, and zie wanted to return the favor, let the performer – Singer of Light-that-Sparkles, One Who Amplifies the Wavelengths of Joy and and Sorrow, Love and Loneliness – know zie had been heard and embraced. That zis Song reached beings beyond the limits of zis solar system, if not the limits of zis own imagination.

* * *

Jack's psychic paper worked a charm to get the pair of them into the concert and handed backstage passes for the meet-and-greet. Toshiko was absurdly glad that she'd had a chance to run home and put on something a little more festive and in keeping with the enthusiasm of the audience. She'd already downloaded a copy of the album (paid for, even). It wasn't often that her job was this much fun. She really hoped it stayed that way, and the alien (she was sure it was a being by now, not an artifact - there was meaning, language, in the fragmentary blips and squiggles when they'd gotten close enough for the most sensitive sensor to register) was not just friendly, but not a threat. She'd had Ianto bring her the wavelength hyper-translator she'd put together after the incidents with the fairy-lights and the firefly cloud-ship. (They had really wondered about the guy who wrote that firefly song after that, but it appeared that his lightning-bugs were all earth-native.) So hopefully they would be able to communicate.

Tosh had tested it out during the concert, and if her settings were right she not only had enough for the translation-matrix, but a really first rate recording of the whole performance set, audio and visual. The crystal that shone and glittered and flashed close to Adam's throat had appeared to be singing along, at least on the choruses, emissions that her instruments picked up if not her ears and only occasionally her eyes. She was pretty sure few tweeks would make them audible. She'd verify that there was no radiation or other harmful rays/emissions/whathaveyous coming from the being when they got to the meet and greet. Tosh was looking forward to that, especially the part where the Captain Jack Harness sex-field met the Adam Lambert equivalent. It wasn't that she wanted to sleep with Jack - or Adam - but it was certainly fun to see that kind of energy in action. Not only that, it wasn't often that someone came along who could overmatch Jack there, and Tosh rather imagined that Adam did, or could, if he wanted to. She made sure her equipment was suitably disposed about her person, camera-scanner in hand, and followed Jack and the rest of the favored few down the hall to the after-concert meet and greet.

* * *

Adam was not quite sure how it was that he found himself inviting 'Captain' Jack and his cohort Toshiko to discuss whether or not they could take possession of the necklace (or the alien in the necklace - Adam was _really_ not sure about that part) in the dressing room instead of the greenroom, and Matthew was certainly going to have Words with him about it, but really, crazy or not, it wasn't a conversation to be had where the press could hear about it. It didn't hurt that Jack was easy on the eyes, despite being not in the least twinky, or that Toshiko reminded him inexplicably of one of the Zodiac techies. Matthew would be right outside the door and Lane had remained unobtrusively present in any case. Adam wasn't worried about that. He was a little worried for the possible entity.

And really, a lightning bug alien in the crystal would explain rather a lot - overtones that harmonized themselves to his most extravagant runs and vibrated not-unpleasantly in his in-ears not the least. Anything that made those things more useful and less of an annoyance was worth considering positively.

Adam settled himself comfortably on the stool at the makeup counter with his back to the mirror. "So," he said, raising his eyebrows and pinning Jack with his gaze, "alien in my pendant. That you want to take custody of. How did it get there - here - whatever; what's it doing there, and why do you want to take it?"

Toshiko answered before her boss could take his own eyes off Adam's leggings. "I think I've got the translator tuned now. We can try asking it your first two questions." She twiddled and tapped at what Adam had initially taken for a smartphone with extras, and it grew an antenna as well as several new lights.

"Tosh!" Jack's glance abruptly shifted upward and over.

She went on without pause. "There's no reason not to. There's no discernable radiation or other danger, and I've already told you sentience is present. Let's ask. let's not assume malevolence without even talking to it."  Judging by his expression, Jack wasn't used to Tosh arguing this passionately. He still hadn't quite found his words yet, and Adam was pretty sure that was at least as unusual.

"I agree. Let's ask." Adam felt a pulse of something - not quite heat or sound or pressure, but something that was a little of all three - from the pendant. Even without 'hearing' it, he was increasingly certain it was alive, was a person (an entity, a being, not an inert, unfeeling, unthinking _thing_) and more than that, had chosen _him_, was there for a reason, not mere chance.

Tosh nodded sharply and brought the device closer, making mysterious, tiny adjustments until  there was a crackle of something like static, then a hum, and a voice like miniature bells chimed from the speaker. "Xi me. Name Xi. Xyiras from, Qo-cousin we. Sing light. Sing sound. Music heard from Singer-of-Light-that-Sparkles. Came to share song. Came when" there was a series of musical, non-verbal tinkles and trills, apparently something the translator could not handle. Adam could not help but smile at the idea that this being - Xi - had a name for him that meant glitter.

"Adam," he said softly, speaking to the glow in the crystal, not the translator. "My name is Adam." There was another of those positive-feeling pulses, this time with a little extra sparkle he could see as well as feel.

Jack had pulled himself together and was firing questions, using words like rift and vortex, time-treaties and things that were nearly as incomprehensible as the squiggles and chimes had been. They obviously made sense to Jack and Tosh, and presently to Xi as well, judging by the again word-sounding responses. Adam listened, making some sense of tone and expression if not of detail.

After several minutes where things seemed to be going in circles on the subject of polarity and negative cycles, with some emphatic commentary on something called Gelf, and something else that sounded like Jack was gargling, Adam broke in. "Why me, though. What is it you want?"

"Need. Desire joy. Learn here, learn Adam-shining-music. Song matters. Share song. Give, take, grow. Pattern greater, more light, more connection, more love. Sparkle-song share home return."

"Oh. You want to come on tour with me, soak up the music, the performance-energy, and then eventually go home. Do I have that right?"

Xi chimed bright and clear, "Yes. Yesyes. Please yes."

"No." Jack's vehemence startled all of them. "It's not a good idea. I can't allow it. No."

Adam looked at Jack, genuinely puzzled. "Why? What's it hurting? Why can't Xi hang out in the pendant and be part of the show?" He had his hand curled protectively around the faintly glowing piece." He quirked a smile at Toshiko. "Tosh said that there was no radiation or anything to worry about, and he? she? Certainly isn't doing some kind of mind-control on me. I'm like this all the time. Just ask Lane."

Lane looked up from her blackberry and chuckled. "He is. His own brother called him 'a glittery alien from Planet Fierce.' And that was _before_ Idol."

Jack was momentarily distracted – he knew a Planet Fierce, though the denizens had been nowhere near as fabulous or glittery as Adam when he'd been there. Perhaps they should take notes. He forceably pulled his attention back. That was neither here nor there, and Adam was still speaking.

"Really, it's no different than any number of the fans out there – they come from all over, some traveling amazing distances." Adam laughed. "Though I'm going to have to rethink 'far' now that _interstellar_ applies." He leaned closer. "And I think that we should be making friends, not fearing enemies. What better way than with a musical ambassador, an artistic exchange?"

"I'm really not going to win this one, am I?" Jack didn't look heartbroken at being over-ruled.

"Nope." Adam grinned at him until Jack smiled back, not really reluctantly at all. There was a glint in his eye that Adam recognized instantly, having seen it in many a club, over many a cocktail. "On the other hand, I think cooperation is a lot more fun than competition. That's a conversation I'd be very happy to continue."

Tosh and Lane shared a glance of thoroughly amused and perfect understanding.

* * *

Much later that night, equal parts energised and exercised, replete on good food, excellent company and the aftermath of a really splendid performance-high, Adam curled his hand around the pendant once again, thanking the fan who had made the fanciful twist of wire and crystal. This was a piece that would never be sent flying back out into the audience, however short or long Xi made a home of it. And Xi! There really was life and light and music beyond the bounds of Earth - how cool was that? He'd always believed it, but now he knew. Xi twinkled, and he felt the vibration in the metal of his rings, a happy sparkling buzz. He hadn't even had to chase the starlight - it had come to him.

* * *

  


* * *

**The Starlight Mix**  
      
01\. Tinkerbell - James Newton Howard - Peter Pan (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)  
02\. Fireflies - Owl City - Ocean Eyes  
03\. The Bard's Exhortation To The Salaryman - Annwn - Come Away To The Hills  
04\. Kleine Tonstucke: Commodetto - Thomas Bloch - Glass Harmonica  
05\. Starlight (Acoustic) - Adam Lambert - GMA Concert Series  
06\. Midnight Sun - Cassidy Haley - Little Boys and Dinosaurs  
07\. Jack's Love Theme - Murray Gold - Torchwood (BBC Original Television Soundtrack)  
08\. Aliens &amp; Rainbows - Ferras - Aliens &amp; Rainbows  
09\. Crystalline Green - Goldfrapp - Black Cherry  
10\. Dulcis Amor - Qntal - Ozymandias (Qntal IV)  
11\. Staines Morris - John Roberts &amp; Tony Barrand - Mellow With Ale from the Horn  
12\. Exogenesis: Symphony, Part 1 (Overture) - Muse - The Resistance  
13\. Think of England - IAMX - Think of England (EP)  
14\. La Berceuse de Muffe - Malcolm Dalglish &amp; Grey Larsen - Thunderheads in Autumn  
15\. Bad Influence - P!nk - Funhouse (Deluxe Version)  
16\. Gardening At Night (Different Vocal Mix) - R.E.M. - Eponymous  
17\. Electric Blue - The Cranberries - To The Faithful Departed  
18\. Hairy Trees - Goldfrapp - Black Cherry  
19\. Feeling Good (Studio Version) - Adam Lambert - Season 8 Favorite Performances  
20\. Majhnavea's Music Box - Lisa Gerrard - The Mirror Pool    

Download here: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=CEH9KCBO  


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